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MDMA
Timeline
by Erowid

1898 Some claim that Fritz Haber was the first to publish a synthesis for MDMA, but this appears not to the case. 1    [Details]
Dec 24, 1912 MDMA patented by Merck Pharmaceuticals in Germany.    [More Info] [Details]
1953 The Army Chemical Center studied MDMA toxicity by giving MDMA to guinea pigs, rats, mice, monkeys, and dogs. It is determined to be less toxic than MDA. 2   
1965 Alexander Shulgin synthesizes MDMA but does not yet try it. 3   
c. 1967 The first small underground batches of MDMA are synthesized. Relatively few individuals have tried it at this point. 3   
c. 1968 Alexander Shulgin begins working with MDMA personally and introducing others to it. 3   
Aug 1970 First published case report of recreational MDMA use. 4   
1976 The first scholarly article on MDMA is published. 5   
c. 1977 MDMA begins to be available on the street as a recreational drug. 6   
1977 Great Britain amended its Misuse of Drugs Act (1971) to include as Class A all compounds structurally derived from an N-alkyl-alpha-methylphenethylamine by substitution in the ring with an alkylendioxy substituent. This legislation encompassed all ring substituted amphetamines (including MDA, MDE, MDMA, etc). Class A is the most controlled category of drugs in Britain.   
1977 - 1981 Only eight individuals seek emergency room treatment after the use of MDMA during this four year period according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). 6   
1981 - 1985 There are zero people who seek emergency room treatment after the use of MDMA during this four year period, according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). 6   
Jul 1, 1985 MDMA temporarily placed into Schedule I by the DEA under emergency scheduling provisions.   
1987 First published report of a human death due to MDMA use. 7   
Dec 22, 1987 MDMA is removed from schedule I because of improper procedure in its original emergency scheduling by the DEA. 8   
Mar 23, 1988 MDMA permanently placed in Schedule I. 9   
Mar 23, 1988 MDMA is placed back into Schedule I without challenge.   
1991 Alexander and Ann Shulgin publish PiHKAL, documenting over 250 phenethylamines, including MDMA, mescaline, 2C-B, 2C-T-7, 2C-T-2, and many others. 3   
1994-1999 During this 5 year period, there were 27 Ecstasy-related deaths in the U.S. as reported by SAMSA 10   
2000 - 2001 Nearly 20 deaths around the world are attributed to tablets containing PMA sold as Ecstasy. 11    [Details]


References
  1. Cousto H. Forschung und Praxis der Gesundheitsfoerderung. 2001.
    Schmidt-Semisch H. "Ecstasy: Die Droge der 90er-Jahre?" in Hans Gros (ed.). Rausch und Realitaet. Eine Kulturgeschichte der Drogen. Klett, 1998;Vol 3:136-151.
  2. Hardman HF, et al. "Relationship of the Structure of Mescaline and Seven Analogs to Toxicity and Behavior in Five Species of Laboratory Animals". Toxicol Applied Pharmacology. 1973;25:299-309.
  3. Shulgin AT, Shulgin A. PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story. Transform, 1991.
  4. Published in J Crim Law. 1972.
  5. Nichols DE, Shulgin AT. "Sulfur analogs of psychotomimetic amines". J Pharm Sci. Oct 1976;65(10):1554-6.
  6. Eisner B. Ecstasy, the MDMA Story. Ronin, 1994.
  7. Dowling GP, et al. "'Eve' and 'Ecstasy': A Report of Five Deaths Associated with the Use of MDEA and MDMA". JAMA. 1987;257:1615-7.
  8. US v. Spain, 825 F2d 1426
  9. DEA. Microgram. Apr 1988;Vol XXI(4):59.
  10. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  11. DEA. "The Hallucinogen PMA". Drug Intelligence Brief. Oct 2000.
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